SOLOMON ISLANDS COULD HAVE DONE BETTER IN TERMS OF RAMSI: SOGA

Solomon Islands could have done better by asking the right questions prior to intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, RAMSI.

Member of Parliament for East Choiseul Manasseh Sogavare told Parliament during the debate on the Independent Review of RAMSI in Solomon Islands.

In his contribution Mr Sogavare said a question he keeps asking is could Solomon Islands have done something differently prior to inviting the mission into the country.

“The question that keeps ringing in my mind Mr Speaker is could we have done it differently, done it better? Did we ask all the right questions when we make the arrangements when we invite them in Mr Speaker? When we came into office in 2006 Mr Speaker I insisted that RAMSI must have a clear exit strategy effectively setting a timeline under which the mission is to achieve its objectives which should be clearly set out in the strategy. This was bitterly opposed by RAMSI and their sympathizers, for very obvious reasons.”

But he said Solomon Islands has been vindicated by some of these reports stating that this ought to be done.

“But I guess we are vindicated Mr Speaker by some of these reports saying that that ought to be done and the report come out very clearly. The report by the Lowy Institute of International Policy Mr Speaker which is also cited in this report Mr Speaker and clearly set out as a lesson to be learned and I quote: “Mission of this type need an exit strategy based on limited and defined criteria that should be agreed at the outset”, so when we made the arrangements Mr Speaker to bring them in that’s the time that we should think it out properly before we proceed.”

SIBC News understands, the report on the Independent Review of RAMSI in the country has gone through the Committee stage in Parliament yesterday.